Leafygal

Australia day celebrations

My friend Elisabeth arrived from Sydney last night and we decided to take in the sights of the Waterfront  and a drink or two at Neil's new outdoor cafe outside Fisherman's Pier.
We took the dog as well as she desperately needed a walk after being cooped up inside for most of the day.

I hadn't realised that a fireworks display was scheduled and so we stayed to watch.
Pepper  whined a bit at the start of the bangs, but as I was holding her she seemed to settle down and watch the lights.  We certainly enjoyed them.
Walking back to the car through the throngs of people was quite an experience for one small dog!

Today was fiercely hot - high 30's and my sister and nephews visited to have a swim in the pool.
Pepper hadn't seen anyone swimming in it before, and she played up to their calls, but not to the point of jumping in ( for which I am thankful as I doubt that she'd be able to get out on her own if she happened to swim when no-one was around.)
The boys were just about to get out when the cool change hit with a vengeance.  Hail and heavy rain ensued and we retreated to the house, although it was still quite warm outside.
In short Geelong recorded the heaviest rainfall since records began!

We foolishly braved the  rivulets on the roads to go to the pictures, only to be evacuated when the power went off and then the fire alarms triggered by the water leaking in also brought out the fire brigade!  We did get a refund, so now have to wait for another time to see what happened to The Incredibles!!

Birthday Dinner

The dinner proved to be a great success both gastronomically and socially.
3 Station Pier  is located in a purpose built building on the landward end of Station Pier in the heart of  smart yuppy Beacon Cove.  Young spunks driving eyecatching open topped late model sportscars filled the car parks. I was tempted to open the top of my car just to join in.
We had a good view across the bay towards Williamstown and managed a possible dragon boat sighting (or just  possibly a Surf Boat!)
Entrees at our table were

<- Seared scallops with cauliflower panacotta and crispy pancetta

Ham hock and shark fin terrine with sashimi tuna and master stock gastric (? not a term I'd seen used in this contest before)

Mains were equally delicious and imaginative:
Pan seared cannons of Barramundi, sorrel mayonnaise with a pickled octopus salad
Oven roasted Duck breast on Celeriac mash
with turmeric carrots
and sour cherry jus
<- (my choice of course)

Fillet of beef with sweet potato tart, creme fraiche and pink pepper jus
A side dish of Broccolini with green olives and olive oil rounded out the course

Desserts were just too tempting and we demolished:
<- Caramel delice with medjool date beignets and scotch sauce
Caramelised banana mille-feuille with
honeycomb ice-cream and blueberry sauce ->

<- Duo of mousses with almond sticks

This is how three of the party ended the evening ->

What a splendid way to celebrate!

The Social Whirl

We've had  a fun week of socialising!

• Saturday we went nightclubbing!!  The Limelight Lounge in the Basement of the wonderful Art Deco T&G Building in Geelong has bands and times that suit us slightly older folks who tend to turn into pumpkins after midnight these days.  We went with friends to hear Los Romanticos playing Mexican and are planning to go again on Thursday 20th to hear my favourite local group Soul Sister Swing!

• Dinner at Signature in Barwon Heads with most of the family and 2 "old" friends of my mother.  They met while teaching in the forties and remained friends until my mother died in 1990. They still visit Ocean Grove every summer and my father and some of us usually catch up with them.

Signature has recently been taken over by the son-in-Law of my dad's neighbours.  He is delightfully French and cooks excellent food. So far I've sampled Barramundi with scallops and this time a sirloin steak.  Desserts are something special and the caramel bananas are my choice for next visit!

• Lunch for me at Southbank - tutto bene, catching up with the Frank Tate mob. (The Teacher's College Hostel where we lived for our first foray into the big smoke as students) 3 of us were Teacher Librarians together and the bond has lasted for more years than I care to think about!!

tutto bene specialises in Risotto, so that's what we ate.  Scallop for M and I, Gorgonzola and Roasted Pear for K and Tomato Basil Fresh Mozarella for M-L.  Dessert for me was a refreshing combo of strawberries topped with Balsmaic Vinegar Sorbet - a taste sensation.

Tonight we celebrate Sister's Birthday at No 3 Station Pier !

Kitty Hat

Been so obsessed by the socks that my niece's Kitty hat has been languishing in the background waiting for its tassels.
I also decided that it needed another row of the fluffy orange/pink/red yarn so I crocheted a chain of it along the top stripe's edge.
Now I finally have a picture of it and I can post it off. It is going to this Month's
Month of Softies on the theme Vintage Catwalk
Today the weather forecast is for 35C  (94.9F) so I guess she isn't in a real hurry for it to arrive!

Biscuits

We were invited to dinner by a friend and I decided to take something a bit more special than the bought choccies that I might have resorted to in the past.
I sought Clotilde's advice and made the recipe for sables de vanille pecan

I can't remember making biscuits before (other than as a child) and it was quite fun!!  They turned out well, I made them bite size as petit fours and they were well received.

Pepper was invited to dinner too and she behaved reasonably well (after one attempt at grabbing a mouthful of nibblies off the coffee table)
We have made an agreement to walk together on Friday mornings, so that is a start to my 43 Things

Knitters without borders

Yarn Harlot is one of my Blog reads.
She has done the most amazing thing for the Tsunami Tragedy by starting Knitters Without Borders
It is wonderful what the web can achieve!!

43 Things...starting with 20!

Just love the idea of 43 things
Not quite ready to join yet but here I go....

1. Be myself
2. Go to Paris
3. Learn to Throw out clutter
4. Finish my Freeform Knitting jacket
5. Get to my Goal weight
6. Start walking the dog each day
7. Become a better organised house cleaner
8. Start puppy training on a daily basis
9. Work out ways to make our business more profitable
10. Stop procrastinating
11. Invite friends over more often
12. Work in the garden
13. Keep my desk organised
14. Be less bossy
15. Draw in a journal every day
16. Start sewing regularly
17. Do some artwork
18. Look after my skin
19. Go out to a nightclub
20. Spend more time with my father

"A Journey of a thousand miles starts with just one step"
My only problem is which step to start with!!!

Blogging

I should try to write here more often.
I've been going through the syndrome of only writing when I think that I have something to say to the outside world, but I really should be reminding myself that this Blog is for ME.
Hence I will contribute the merest drivel if I find it of interest!!!
Today I found the 43 Things website. I like the idea, but don't want to join up just yet.
So the next entry will cover some of my Things.

Happy New Year

Just a bit late, and I haven't even got an excuse except laziness after the holidays.
New year was quiet for us with just a home cooked seafood feast  - oysters, prawns and scallops, Mango salsa and wicked icecream to follow.
It is hard to let go and celebrate when so  much unhappiness exists in the wake of the tsunami, but there seems to be so little one can do except support the organisations  who are helping.